The management of the Federal University, Lokoja, has announced the indefinite closure of the institution following student protests over the tragic death of five students in a fatal accident at the Felele area on Monday.
Angered by the incident, students took to the streets on Tuesday, blocking the Okene–Lokoja–Abuja highway in protest against the recurring accidents that have claimed the lives of their colleagues.
In a circular issued by the Registrar and Secretary to the Governing Council, Mrs. Rebecca Okojie, and made available to journalists in Lokoja, the university stated that despite interventions from the Kogi State Government and appeals from the management, students continued to barricade the university gates.
“In light of the tragic loss of five students in a trailer accident at Felele city center on Monday, February 17, 2025, and considering the escalating situation, the Vice-Chancellor, in consultation with the management and on behalf of the Senate, has decided to close the university indefinitely,” the statement read.
The directive mandates students to vacate both campuses by 12 noon on Thursday, February 20, 2025, for their safety and to prevent further unrest.
Meanwhile, the Student Union Government (SUG) has expressed deep frustration over the frequent road accidents involving students. The SUG President, Benjamin Timothy, lamented that in the last two months alone, 12 students had lost their lives in similar incidents involving trucks.
During a protest at the Felele Campus, Timothy warned that if the federal government failed to take urgent action to prevent further accidents, students would block the Abuja-Lagos highway in mass protest.
“We have given the authorities 72 hours to address these incessant killings, or we will take to the streets in full force,” he declared.
He emphasized that students could no longer remain passive while trucks continued to claim the lives of their peers. “The five students who died on Monday have brought the death toll to 12 in just two months. We cannot sit back and watch as our colleagues are killed like chickens,” he said.
